Setting up a Shop - Shopping Basket. Any opinions?

[dance]

After much deliberation I have decided to set up a small woodshop to make small items of furniture for my own and my family's amusement, things like beds for our children, picture frames, bookshelves, toys etc.

I already have:

EB HC260C P/T
A v. cheap compound mitre saw
Jigsaw
EurkeaZone Track saw with Hitachi saw
Cheap own brand 1/4" router
Hand saws
Chisels
Sander
Planes

I think I am going to acquire:

Festool Domino (completely sold on this after reading all about it)
Axminster TS200 Package
SIPs 01929 50litre extractor for my P/T
Festool Cleantec CTL 22 for the Domino and other hand held power tools (will the hose fit?)
Dakota 50" Parallel Cramps
LS1013 Mitre saw + the makita stand for accurate 45 deg cuts for my picture frames (and everything else that requires an accurate cut!)
Dakota "deluxe" router table from Rutlands
Makita 3612CX / RP2301FCX (anyone recommend which would be best?)
Magnetic featherboards for the table saw and router table (hope they're compatible)

This post isn't intended to be a "oo, look at me, I'm going to go buy all this stuff" - let's face it most of us have all this stuff already.

What I'd like to hear is if this sounds like the basis for a good shop - note the omission of a bandsaw - and if people have any thoughts?

MANY THANKS

 

[goldeneyedmonkey]

I have the Makita LS1214 (bigger brother of the one you list above) and I think it's a good choice you've made there. I also have the second Makita router that you list, and this is excellent, I'd definitely go for that one, you won't be disappointed.

I assume that all the tables on your kit is cast iron then for the mag' feather-boards to work?

Cheer _Dan

 

[condeesteso]

I'm known to be a fan of bandsaws, but I would not miss one off the list. I use mine for all ripping (sawn boards down to just oversize, then into planer) - through to cutting cheeks on tenons. With a good blade or 2, and well set up, I think band saws are incredibly useful(and take up little floor space too) - I use mine more than the table saw. You can find really good second-hand ones for around £200 - 250 and 2 really good blades would be max another 50. I say blades 2 because I would have say a 1/2" rip blade, (bi-metal) and a 'meat & fish' blade for precision work.

 

[softtop]

At the risk of being side-tracked into a BS vs TS debate then I'll say that I have a P/T, SCMS, Domino and BS, but no TS and haven't found it to be a major hindrance...

 

[dance]

Thanks guys.

You see, prior to deciding on my list I read a lot of table saw vs band saw forum post and it seemed most people preferred a table saw!

I have a track saw but quite fancied being able to make easy, accurate, repeatable on the TS200 as in 95% of the online videos and forum posts!

Now I'm reading that actually people are recommending a band saw again? But for me that's fine. I will learn from the rationale.

At first I thought why not a bandsaw - it will allow me to cut curves, has a small footprint and has a fence for straight lines. But then I read that bandsaws are not good at straight lines even with a fence and the edge from the saw would not be suitable to glue up for edge jointing boards (for example).

I don't know what to do.

I kind of think a bandsaw would be a good idea (especially because I want to make some of Matthias Wandel's stuff - e.g. wooden gears - and those plans are bandsaw heavy!) but then which one? I was thinking about the AWHBS350N. Would this be good enough?

 

[condeesteso]

Re bandsaws... I think the Axminster would be OK, but for a bit less (say max £300) do look at the better second-hand ones (ebay, here sometimes, etc). You can find a Startrite or record Power, Elektra beckum maybe, Scheppach worth a look too. But a good older Startrite would be a treat!. Re finish and precision, if the blade is good, and guides well set you can get a good finish off a bandsaw, not a match for a table saw but close enough for most needs. I know many prefer a table saw, but I would not even consider ripping stock on a 200. I can do it as accurately and far faster on a bandsaw. I'm the only one here that rates meat&fish blades on the bandsaw (well, David Charlesworth does - that's where I got the idea from) - you would not believe the clean cuts, accuracy, fine kerf, speed of cut.... get a bandsaw! A machine that takes say 30 x 20" of floor, and can rip 6" depth, then go to cutting tight curves, to slicing wafer-thin veneers...